In the lead-up to Nakba Day, Palestinians in Gaza entered their fifth week of protests at the border, which they have deemed the Great March of Return. Israel Defense Forces retaliated with artillery and live fire at today’s protests, killing over 52 protesters and injuring more than 2,000.
During the Great March of Return protests, Palestinians have called for their right to return to their homeland, confiscated by Israeli paramilitaries in 1948. On the 70th anniversary of the Nakba — meaning “catastrophe” in Arabic — the death count from the weekslong demonstrations has reached over 90. With little action from the international community, the Palestinian refugee issue is far from solved.
It’s late afternoon in Dheisheh refugee camp, situated south of Bethlehem’s old city. Abd al-Qader, 98, slowly enters the living room of his house — shared with extended family — after attending afternoon prayers at the nearby mosque. He is warm and welcoming, but his eyes and heart soon become heavy.
“The Jews attacked us with their tanks and their bombs randomly,” Qader told Al-Monitor. “The Palestinians in that time didn’t have leaders. It was only communities, so the civilians fought back, resisting alone.” Many fled their homes, including Qader and his family, who left their village of Beit Aataab on May 15, 1948. Qader was 28 years old.
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